COMING BACK HOME IS NOT ALWAYS EASY

PROCLAMATION

“And King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, ‘Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, “Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house?” seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house.’ ”  2 Samuel 19:11 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  David had defeated all of the neighboring enemies of Israel under King Saul, and he defeated them again as the King of Israel after the death of Saul, but he fled the country to escape from his son Absalom.  Now that Absalom had died while leading Israel’s army against him, David was ready to return to Israel and to his throne.  First, he had to get over the death of his son and had to be reminded of who he was. (2 Samuel 18:33-19:8)  Then, he had to win over the hearts of the people.  The people of Israel had anointed Absalom as their king, and they had rebelled against David.  He had defeated the Israelite army, but now he had to deal with the people who had turned on him.  He had to remind some of them that they were his blood relatives (2 Samuel 19:11-14) and he had to forgive some of them for how they had treated him. (2 Samuel 19:19-23)  David honored those who had helped him (2 Samuel 19:31-39) and he had to settle the differences between the men who went with him and those who were against him. (2 Samuel 19:40-43)

 

APPLICATION

Many years ago, I was taught that the way we leave home determines whether or not we can ever come back home.  I also learned that it is possible to be accepted back into the house but that does not mean that we are accepted back into their heart.  Sometimes we can return home only to find out that things are not the same as they were before we left.  People can forgive, but they do not forget.  However, thanks be to God that our Heavenly Father is not like that.  Once we are saved and accepted into the body of Christ as a child of God, we are always accepted. (John 10:28-29)  We may backslide and turn our back on Him and break our fellowship with Him, but we never break our familial relationship.  Once we confess and believe, we are saved. (Romans 10:9-10)  Once saved, always saved.  When we mess up, we can pray and ask to be forgiven for our sins, and The Lord God forgives us, (Acts 8:22) and we are fully restored into the family and the fellowship. (1 John 1:6-7)